Per Virginia state policy, meals may not be left unattended outside the home of clients whose service is subsidized with state funds.
Meals may be left outside the homes of clients whose service is not state-subsidized when a sturdy insulated container (such as a cooler) is provided by the client for that purpose.
Current clients may temporarily suspend, reinstate, or cancel service by calling 703-522-0811. If possible, we prefer 48 hours in advance notice.
For information on additional programs for older adults in Arlington, contact the Arlington Agency on Aging at https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us; calling 703-228-1700; or email at arlaa@arlingtonva.us
For information on additional programs for older adults in Arlington, contact the Arlington Agency on Aging at https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us; calling 703-228-1700; or email at arlaa@arlingtonva.us
The bulk of our volunteers are drivers! A volunteer driver must have a valid driver’s license and a car that has been inspected and is insured. Drivers meet up at the church parking lot in Ballston where each car is loaded with 4 to 7 large coolers which contain a week’s worth of food for the client. The driver then drives an assigned route to deliver the meals (which are transferred from coolers to paper bags by the drivers) to 3-7 clients. Upon completion of the route, the driver must return to the church parking lot to unload the empty cooler, return the route book, and report any problems to the dispatcher.
The primary training is conducted when a new volunteer drives along with an experienced driver to get a feel for what is expected when the volunteer takes on their own route.
It is our preference that a volunteer commit to drive twice a month, on Wednesdays, as that is the day the weekly allotment of meals is delivered to the majority of our clients. However, we are willing to work with a volunteer who wishes to drive less than that.
MOW understands that everyone needs time off for vacation, personal needs, or work-related reasons from time to time. When this occurs, we ask that you give the volunteer coordinator as much notice as possible so that they can find a replacement for your route.
MOW has approximately 30 routes, and all but two routes are delivered on Wednesdays. The other two routes are daily. Drivers should arrive at the church parking lot at 10:30am. Generally, all routes are completed by 12:30pm.
A number of our routes are handled by two people, thus there is a driver and someone who assists the driver on the route. Having a second person in the car can be very helpful if there are parking or access problems. It is acceptable for you to bring a friend or family member along on a drive. However, keep in mind that there is rarely any room left in the vehicle (other than the driver and passenger seats) after it has been loaded.
A number of church, work, and service organizations have taken responsibility for one of our routes and provide volunteers to drive every Wednesday. This arrangement can be worked out with the volunteer coordinator.
Yes, we have a small crew of volunteers who load and unload the cars for our drivers and you can volunteer for that position as well.
You can find our organization’s policy by clicking on the button below!